The Vatican Information Service is a news service, founded in the Holy See Press Office, that provides information about the Magisterium and the pastoral activities of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia...[+]

- Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, presented by Bishop Sebastiao Roque Rabelo Mendes upon having reached the age limit.NN:RE/.../GULLICKSON:ROQUE VIS 20041215 (90)

VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2004 (VIS) - Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, delivered a homily this morning at a Mass for the meeting of SIGNIS International at the Paul VI International House in Rome.

SIGNIS is a non-governmental organization with members from 140 countries and, as the World Catholic Association for Communication, includes professionals in radio, television, cinema, video, media education and the Internet. Two Catholic organizations - UNDA for radio and television, and OCIC, for cinema and audiovisual - merged in 2001 to form SIGNIS.

"We are privileged to work in the field of communications." said the archbishop, "to have as our work of daily life the responsibility of making Christ known to others through the media. It is a privilege, but it is also a responsibility. It is the work on which we shall be judged. How well do we do it?"

He suggested how to be good communicators: "First, we should reaffirm our own faith in the word made flesh, Jesus Christ. Second, we should strive to live in our own lives the example of Jesus Christ - not only for our own salvation and sanctification, but so that the message we transmit might be received more readily because the messenger is more credible. Third, while we work in general for better programs in the media, for a higher moral tone in the media, for better media legislation to guarantee access to the media of messages of a religious and spiritual nature, the most important work we do in media is to transmit the message of the Word made flesh."CON-CS/SIGNIS/FOLEY VIS 20041215 (270)

VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2004 (VIS) - In today's general audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father spoke about the second part of Psalm 71, "Reign of a Righteous King."

John Paul II said that "the decisive element which identifies the figure of the Messianic King is above all his justice and love for the poor who consider him a point of reference and a source of hope since he is the visible representative of their only defender and patron, God."

"The Lord," he continued, "is the 'savior-redeemer' Who works visibly through the Messiah-king, safeguarding 'the life and blood' of the poor, His protected ones. Now 'life' and 'blood' are the basic reality of the person and the representation of the rights and dignity of every human being, rights that are often violated by those in power in this world."

The Pope indicated that "humanity, putting aside and eliminating all divisions, will set out toward this sovereign of justice, fulfilling in this way the great promise made by the Lord to Abraham: 'And in him, shall every tribe of the earth be blessed'."

"The Christian tradition," he concluded, "has seen in this image of the Messiah and King a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Virgin Mary, the long-awaited Savior."

Among the faithful present, the Holy Father greeted a group of people from the autonomous Italian province of Trento, accompanied by Archbishop Luigi Bressan and civil authorities who have come to Rome to present him the Christmas tree placed in St. Peter's Square. They also gave the Pope other trees which have been placed in the Paul VI Hall, in the Apostolic Palace and in other places around the Vatican.

"It is a gift," he said, "of your autonomous province. Thank you! Thank you especially to those who made possible this Christmas gift which will remind visitors and pilgrims of the birth of Christ, light of the world."

Before the audience, John Paul II greeted 3,000 Italian young people and students in St. Peter's Basilica. "During Advent, a prayerful time of waiting which prepares us for Christmas," he said, "Mary, the Virgin of Hope, is especially present. I entrust you to her so that you prepare yourselves to receive Christ who comes to establish His kingdom of love, justice and peace."AG/PSALM 71/... VIS 20041215 (400)

VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2004 (VIS) - Thousands of students and faculty members from Roman universities, delegates from other European universities and civil and religious authorities were in St. Peter's Basilica last evening for their annual Mass with the Holy Father. The Pope thanked them for their presence saying, "as 'sentinels of the morning', you wish to be vigilant - today, during these weeks of Advent, and throughout life - to be ready to welcome the Lord Who comes."

"Dear university students," he said, "we are in the year of the Eucharist and, in preparation for World Youth Day, you have been reflecting on the theme 'Eucharist and the Truth about Man'. This is a demanding theme. In fact, before the Eucharistic mystery, we are moved to verify the truth about our faith, our hope and our love. We cannot remain indifferent when Christ says: 'I am the living bread, come down from heaven'. Into our minds comes the question He asked: 'Do you believe it is I? Do you really believe?' In light of His words: 'Whoever eats this bread will have eternal life', we cannot not ask ourselves about the meaning and value of our daily lives."

Noting that the greatest love was that of Christ "Who sacrificed Himself for the life of the world", the Holy Father said we must ask ourselves if we live our lives for others. "Is my humanity, my existence filled with the love of God and love for my neighbor? Or is it rather imprisoned in the oppressive cycle of selfishness?"

The Pope said that the search for "truth about man is not reached only by the means that science offers us," but also "thanks to Christ's gaze filled with love. It is He, the Lord, Who comes to us in the mystery of the Eucharist. Never stop looking for Him and you will discover in His eyes an attractive reflection of the goodness and beauty that He Himself has placed in our hearts with the gift of His Spirit."HML/MASS STUDENTS/... VIS 20041215 (340)